The Detroit Lions waived undrafted rookie kicker James Turner on Tuesday, but they may see him again soon. On Thursday, the Green Bay Packers were awarded Turner after putting in a claim for him on waivers, according to the official transaction wire. Currently, waiver wire priority is determined from last year’s results, so Green Bay had 25th priority—meaning at least 24 teams passed on Turner.
Detroit opted to cut Turner after they were able to sign former Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates following his impressive season in the UFL. The Packers were one of the teams who were reportedly interested in signing Bates, so it’s not surprising to see them essentially get a second-hand kicker, instead.